Half to iseael c



(No Model.)

B.' E. lHERRIlvrolv.

' -FoLDING BBD. v y ,Patented Mar. 27, 1,888.

UNITED STATES .Y

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. EERRINTON, on GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIeNoR on ONE HALE To ISRAEL c. SMITH, on SAME PLAGE.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,258, dared March 2/7, 188e.

Application filed J une 23, 1887. Serial No. 242,336. (No model.) I l To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD E. HERRINTON,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Grand v Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements inFolding Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as `will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains-to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of folding beds which are provided with a frame adapted to sustain the bed, said frame being pivoted to side frames balanced upon said pivots, and adapted to turn into a vertical position upon the same. Heretofore the side frames have been connected` to each other in some manner to support them in position, and the bed has been balanced upon the pivots by weights attached to the movable frame, which weights are increased or decreased to conform to the changes in weight of the bedding. This is objectionable because both expensive and heavy, and also because of the necessity of keeping on hand detachable weights to correspond with probable changes in weight of the bedding.

The objects of my invention are. to so connect the side frames',A and the movable frame that said side frames need not be attached to each other, to provide an adjustable balance for said bed without detached parts, and generally to reduce the weight'and cost of the structure. I accomplish these results by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which--V Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of Y a folding bed' embodying my invention, showing the bed open; Fig. 2, the same, showing the bed closed; and Fig. 3, a section on the line X X of Fig. 2.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A is the side rail of the folding section supporting the bed; D, the end piece of the same, to which the head-board C is attached.

B is the stationary section, upon which is mounted the folding section A by pivot-plates a and b. The plate a is attached to the frame B, and is provided with an opening, o, near the middle, within which rotates the pivot z,

which has the form of a hook projecting from the side' of the plate b, which plate is' attached to the rail A. The inner side of said hook is inclined to the surface of the plate b, and, engaging with the edge of the opening4 in the plate a, crowds the plates a and b and their respective sections toward each other, thus pressing their adjacent surfaces firmly together, thereby maintaining the surfaces of the foldingand stationary sections in the same vertical plane, and the structure is thus rendered practically rigid without the necessity of connecting the-frame B to the corresponding frame at the other side of the bed by a back, bottom,

or other transverse piece. The plate b is extended in the direction of the head of the bed, and provided with` a slot, e, through which passes an adjustable stud, d, which passes through the eye c on .the end of the screw h, which screw passes through an opening in theY bar j', and is provided with a nut, z', below said bar. Said opening in the bar f is enlarged in the direction of the length of the said bar to permit a rocking movement of said screw in the opening. To the bar f are attached a suitable number of springs, g, the other ends of said springs being attached to the lower part of the frame B by means ol' a plate, la, or other suitable fastenings.

YThe operation of my device is as follows: As the folding section A turns upon the pivot'Z and assumes a horizontal position, the stud d moves through the corresponding arc of a circle, first moving nearly horizontal and later on more nearly vertically. This movement increases the tension on the springs g in exact proportion as the center of gravity is removed from directly over the pivot fi, so that at all times the bed will be balanced upon saidpivot. As weight is added to or taken from the bed,

the tension of the springs gis correspond- IOO to the weight of bedding in use. To counteract any excess of this backward tendency and to adjust the same, the stud d is adjusted in the slot e to be more or less to the front of the pivot l, so that the springs g will act against this overbalance of the bed.

What I claim and wish to secure is 1. In afolding bed, the combination, with the folding section, of the loose and independent side portions, B, of the stationary section, having their inner faces in close contact with the onterfsides of the folding section, and plates a, and hooks Z, having beveled inner faces for engaging said plates, the plates and hooks being respectively secured to the stationary and folding sections, as described, whereby said sections are drawn together and kept in close contact by the gravity of the folding section acting through said hooks, substantially as described.

2. In a folding bed, the combination, with the stationary section and the folding section pivoted thereon, of a series of springs arranged side by side in a plane parallel with the side of the bed, secured to the stationary section, a cross-bar connected with the free ends of the springs, and a rod or equivalent connection pivotally secured to said bar and to the folding section, whereby said rod may oscillate relative to the bar and springs and equalize the strain upon the latter when the folding section is moved, substantially as set forth.

3. In a folding bed, the stationary section and the folding section, pivoted thereto atl, in combination with a plate attached to the side frame, having a slot, e, a stud adjustable in said slot relative to the pivot of the section, a screw hung on said stud, a bar carried by the screw, and springs connected with the bar and with the stationary section, substantially as described.Y

4. In a folding bed, the combination, with the folding section, of the independent side portions, B, of the stationary section, having their inner faces in close contact with the outer sides of the folding section, the plates a, and hooks Z, having beveled inner faces for engaging 'said plates, the plates and hooks being secured to the stationary and folding sections, and the series of parallel springs g and their cross-bar f, connected with said sections for drawing down the end of the folding section.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD E. HERRINTON.

Witnesses: Y

WM. A. REED, LUTHER V. MoULToN. 

